Apparatus and method for handling long sheets



Nov. 11, 1969 M. c. LYMAN 3,477,711

Filed April 25, 1967 ,2 Sheets-Sheet l I NVENTOR. MERTON C. LYMAN ATTORNEYS M. c. LYMAN 3,477,711

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR HANDLING LONG SHEETS Nov. 11, 1969 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 25. 1967 United States Patent 3,477,711APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR HANDLING LONG SHEETS Merton C. Lyman,Willimantic, Conn., assignor to Cameron Machine Company, Dover, N.J., acorporation of New York Filed Apr. 25, 1967, Ser. No. 633,555 Int. Cl.B65h 29/32 US. Cl. 271--74 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Theapparatus of this invention includes a vacuum box and a continuouslytraveling endless tape having a lower run coacting with the vacuum boxto advance a sheet along a path with the assistance of suction, and astop terminating the advance of the leading edge of the sheetcoterminous with the application of suction to the sheet. A method ofdelivering sheets in accordance with this invention includes stoppingeach sheet successively in a suction application zone, disabling thesuction application to each arrested sheet during continued feeding ofthe following sheets, and then releasing in turn each arrested sheet topermit it to fall away from the suction application Zone under its ownweight.

This invention generally relates to sheet handling equipment andincludes as a primary object the provision of an improved apparatusparticularly suited for smooth automatic handling of sheet material ofextra long length.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved sheethandling apparatus capable of automatically arresting the advance of along flexible sheet for precision stacking in a neat accurate pile.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved long sheethandling apparatus providing reliable performance on a continuousproduction basis under rugged operating conditions while requiring onlya minimum number of moving parts and being virtually free of servicerequirements.

Still,another object of this invention is to provide an improved longsheet handling apparatus which is readily in corporated in both new andexisting equipment to provide added flexibility in having sheet materialof varying size.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved method ofdelivering long flexible sheet material.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out more indetail hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will beexemplified in the construction hereafter set forth and the scope of theapplication which will be indicated in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view, partly in section and partly broken away,of a sheet handling apparatus embodying this invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal section view, partly broken away,generally taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged transverse section view, partly broken away,generally taken along line 33 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged transverse section view, partly broken away,generally taken along line 44 of FIG. 2.

With reference to FIG. 1, a conveyor of a machine incorporating thisinvention is shown having a feed roll 12 driven by an electric motor 14which is desirably connected to a suitable variable speed drive, notshown, to provide a variation in the speed of delivered sheets 16, suchas paper sheets, to a carrier apparatus 18 of this invention.

While the carrier apparatus 18 is usable with printing presses, sheetersand similar sheet handling equipment, it is particularly suited toprovide smooth automatic handling of long paper sheets of lengths in theorder of about 80 inches for delivery, e.g., to a platform 20 where thesheets 16 are to be stacked on a skid 22 in a neat accurate pile. Itwill be understood that suitable provision can be made for vibrating andautomatically adjusting the stack at a constant level, if desired, forensuring a high degree of jogged alignment of the sheets 16 as they arebeing stacked for subsequent removal.

For facile handling of normally troublesome extra long sheet material,the carrier apparatus 18 incorporates a rugged, dependable carrier unithaving a minimal number of moving parts while providing significantlyimroved handling of such sheets with the assistance of a suction force.

Specifically, a plurality of elongated H shaped vacuum boxes such as at24 are shown mounted side by side between opposite side panels 30, 32 ofa stationary frame 34. Considering only one of the vacuum boxes 24 (eachof the vacuum boxes being of substantially identical construction), apair of legs 36, 38 formed of rectangular tubing are provided with aninterconnecting bridge 40 establishing communication between the legs36, 38 and an upright suction head 42 which is connected to a suitablevacuum source, not shown. The legs 36 and 38 each have a flat bottomface 43 and 44 wherein a series of slots such as at 46 are formedthroughout the length of the vacuum box 24.

A plurality of narrow endless carrier tapes 48 are supported at theupstream end of the vacuum boxes on a common tape roll 50, shownjournaled for rotation on a pair of elongated support members 52, 54respectively fixed to side panels 30, 32 of the frame 34, and extendlongitudinally about the vacuum boxes 24 to pass over a plurality offree wheeling roller assemblies such as at 56 individually mounted onthe downstream end of the legs 36, 38 of each vacuum box 24.

While in FIG. 1 only one carrier tape 48 is shown associated with eachvacuum box leg 36, 38, the latter may be provided with a plurality ofsuch tapes as clearly illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4.

In the specific illustrated embodiment, the tape roll 50 is driven offthe powered feed roll 12 of the conveyor 10 by an endless drive belt 58supported by an adjustable tensioner device 60 adapted to be suitablymounted on the frame 34 in accordance with conventional techniques forensuring that each carrier tape 48 will be driven in synchronism withthe conveyor 10. Properly controlled tension on the carrier tapes 48 ismaintained by suitable tape tightening devices 62 for adjusting thetension of the tapes 48 passing over the individual roller assemblies56.

T 0 provide maximum flexibility in handling sheets of diiferent sizewhile at the same time ensuring quick and easy set up and disassembly,the above described carrier unit is preferably formed as an integralarrangement of parts which can be readily installed on the frame 34. Thevacuum boxes 24 are each secured to a pair of support mounts 64, 66 forsuspension below a pair of transversely extending rods 68, 70 fixed attheir opposite ends to the previously noted side support members 52, 54.The support mounts 64, 66 are carried on the rods 68, 70 and adapted tobe secured in laterally adjusted position thereon for suitablypositioning the vacuum boxes in relation to one another. If desired, thecarrier tapes 48 can then be installed and the entire carrier unit canbe readily positioned and secured on the frame 34 so that the lower run72 of each carrier tape 48 is disposed adjacent to and just above thedownstream end of the conveyor 10.

In the specific illustrated embodiment, the sheets 16 are shown beingsuccessively delivered from the conveyor to the carrier apparatus 18 inhead over tail lapping condition, and each carrier tape 48 is shown asbeing of perforated construction formed by a spaced series of holes 74throughout the length of the tape. As each sheet 16 enters the carrierapparatus 18, the sheets leading edge is lifted into engagement with thelower run 72 of the continuously traveling carrier tapes 48 by a suctionforce applied through the holes 74 of the tapes 48 and through the slots46 of the vacuum boxes 24, thereby removing any air cushion above thesheet 16 and advancing it along a path defined by the tapes 48 insynchronism with the conveyor 10.

Proper transfer of each sheet 16 from the carrier tapes 48 to acooperating sheet handling element such as the illustrated stacking skid22 is effected by a series of stop plates or doctor blades 76 shown forillustrative purposes as corresponding in number to the vacuum boxes 24.Each doctor blade 76 extends across the lower run 72 of each of itsassociated carrier tapes 48 and is mounted on a bracket 78 suitablyfitted on the vacuum box legs 36, 38 for adjustment longitudinallythereof in accordance with the length of the sheets 16 which are beinghandled. Screws 80 are provided on opposite sides of the bracket 78 forclamping it into locking engagement with outside walls of the vacuum boxlegs 36, 38.

As each sheet 16 is carried forwardly, its leading edge is automaticallystopped against the abutment provided by the doctor blades 76, causingslippage between the arrested sheet 16 and the tapes 48 while thefollowing overlapped sheet continues to advance until it in turn engagesthe doctor blades 76. This renders the suction holding force applied tothe preceding arrested sheet inoperable and effects a suction releasewithin a zone of suction application provided by the vacuum boxes 24,thereby permitting the sheets 16 to successively drop under the force ofgravity into a neatly stacked pile.

By virtue of the above-described structure, a carrier apparatus isprovided which is simple in operation, requires relatively few movingparts and is virtually service free to provide eflicient automatichandling of extra long sheets of different size. In addition, the longsheet handling apparatus of this invention is quick and easy to set upfor use with both new and existing sheet handling equipment forproviding a significantly improved method of handling long sheetmaterial.

As will be apparent to persons skilled in the art, various modificationsand adaptations of the structure abovedescribed will become readilyapparent without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention,the scope of which is defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a sheet handling apparatus including a frame and suction meanssupported thereon, a sheet arresting device comprising a carriersupported on the frame for continuous movement along a path including asuction application zone, the carrier coacting with the suction means inthe suction application zone for applying a suction force to a sheet toadvance it along the path in timed relation to the carrier, and anabutment disposed in the path within said suction application Zone andengageable with a leading edge of the sheet for automatically stoppingthe sheet in the suction application zone while permitting continueduninterrupted movement of the carrier.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the abutment terminates the advance ofa leading edge of the sheet coterminous with the application of thesuction force to the sheet.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the carrier is positioned below thesuction means such that a suction force is applied to lift the sheetinto engagement with the carrier.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the carrier comprises a continuouslytraveling endless tape mounted on the frame and having a lower runextending below the suction means which acts to remove any air cushionbetween the sheet and the lower run of the endless tape to effectengagement therebetween for advancing the sheet is timed relation tomovement of the endless tape.

5. The device of claim 1 further including adjustment means forselectively positioning the abutment relative to said suctionapplication zone in fixed relation to the frame.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein feeding means is positioned downstreamof the carrier and operable in synchronism therewith for delivering aplurality of sheets thereto in head over tail lapping condition, andwherein the carrier comprises an endless tape at least in partpositioned below the suction means whereby a suction force is applied toremove any air cushion between the endless tape and a leading endportion of each sheet for advancing it with the endless tape such thatupon operation of the stop the suction force is rendered ineffective bythe following sheet overlapping the preceding arrested sheet, causingits release from the endless tape.

7. The device of claim 6 further including stacking means positionedbelow the endless tape for receiving the released sheets in a stackedpile.

8. A method of delivering and stacking a plurality of sheets comprisingthe steps of feeding each sheet along a generally horizontal path withthe assistance of a suction force applied to an upper surface of thesheet in a suction application zone within the path, providing a stop ata predetermined location in the path within the suction applicationzone, stopping the movement of a leading edge of each sheet at saidpredetermined location in the path within the suction application zoneby engaging the leading edge of each sheet with the stop, continuing toapply suction force to said leading edge of each arrested sheet andfeeding following sheets to said predetermined location in the path, andthen releasing each arrested sheet in turn to fall under its own weightinto a stacking device.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the sheets are being fed'during thefeeding step in head over tail lapping condition, and wherein a furtherstep is included of successively disabling the suction force applied toeach stopped sheet responsive to its being overlapped by a followingsheet whereby the application of suction to each arrested sheet isrendered inoperable to permit its release.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,772,880 12/1956 Garrett 271--74EDWARD A. SROKA, Primary Examiner

